Button-forming machine



April 30, 1929. w, ABEL I 1,711,218

BUTTON FORMING MACHIN Filed Feb. 2, 1921' s Sheets-She et 1 lnvenTo'n WG'TGTTAbEI w byMMkZ-mf ATTyfi.

April 30, 1929. w. T. ABEL BUTTON FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 InvenTor.

ATTys.

0 Walfer T Abe| byMMI M April 30, 1929. w. T. ABEL 1,711,218

BUTTON FoRMIfi MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1927 a sheets-sheet 3 lnvenfo'r.

WulTer T: Abel fwzwzw I "AITys.

Patented Apr. 30, 1929.

mire. s'rA'rss PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER T. ABEL, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTIOUT,.ASSIGNOR' TO THE PATENT BUT TON COMPANY, ()F'WA'JERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTL our. I

Application filed February are swaged from a solid blank of material.

in theoperation oi? suchmachines consider able difficulty has heretofore been experienced in removing the formed articles tromthe thee: and discharging them properly from the ma chine.

The present .invention relates to novel mechanism for releasing the formed article from the die to which it is caused to adhere and for discharging the same'positively from the machine thereby preventing obstruction to, or improper operation of, the machine.

i turtherobject of the invention comprises the provision of means controlled by the action of the feeding mechanism to permit or cause the operation of the article-discharging mechanism.

A further object of the inventlon is to pro vi de an article-discharging device which may be conveniently adapted to usual types of ma chines for forming butt-onsand other articles. a

Other objects and features of the invention 'will more fully appear from the following Fin 2 is a view, partly in vertical longitu din section and partly in elevation, of the machine illustrated in 1 g 3 is a detail view mainly in vertical section. of the mechanism for cutting a blank tram arod and transferring; it to the liesytogether with the discharging -inechanis the means operable by the'blank-teeding mechanism for controlling); the actuation of the discharging mechanism:

Fig. 4 is a detail view,in ainly in vertical secm" and BUTTONJOBMING MACHINE.

2, 1327. Serial No. 165 ,440.'

gaged by the die and the blank-feeding mechanism withdrawn;

Fig. 6 is a detail viewfin vertical section showing the dies in closed position with the button formed therebetween; and,

Fig. 7 is a detail view, mainly in vertical section, showing the dies in separated position with a button released from the die and illu'stratin in. full lines the discharging mechanism engaging the button and in dotted lines. the position of the button-discharging mechanism and of the buttonwhen released from the button-retaining mechanism of the die.

The machine for forming buttons or like" articles comprises aheavy mainframe of metal of general rectangular form having sides and 2, an integral connecting end 3, and a heavy massive integralend 4 for supporting a die block and one of the complementary diesof the button-forming mecha nism.- The sides 1 and 2 are provided'with inwardly extending flanges or. ways 5 upon which a cross head 6 is slidably mounted. Guides 7, bolted to the upper surfaces of the sides 1 and 2, engage the upper face of the cross head and, together with the guides 5, form guideways which insure accuratereciprocation of the cross head. .Thercross head is recessed at its rearend anda heavy shaft 8 eX- tends across the recess. ApitmanS) is pivotally mounted upon this shaft and at its oppo-. site end is providedzwith a two-part bearing 10 and 11 which embraces an eccentric 12up0n a main shatt'13which is journalled in suitable hearings in the sides of the frame. I

Suitablemeans (not shown) are provided for driving the main shaft 133 desirably ineluding a heavy balance wheel'to provide sufficient momentum to insure the smooth running of the machine. The button-forming dies are carried respective by the massive end portion 4 of the frame and by the reciprocatin r crosshead 6.

In the particular construction illustrated the front end of the cross head is provided with dovetail recesswhich receives a complementary rib 14 upon a die block carrier 15 which is provided at its upper end with a rearward extension 16 which is 'arjustably mounted upon the cross head by vertical adjusting screws 17 and 18. A die bloclr 19 is secured to the die block support by suitable machine bolts 20 which pass through horizontal slots in the die block. Oppositely disposed adjusting screws 21, seated in the die block 19 and. engaging the bolts 20, serve to permit lateral. adjustment of the die block. By reason of the vertical adjustability the die block support and the lateral adjustability of the die block the die can be accurately positioned. The die 22 is secured in a preferably cylindrical die block holder 23 which is seated in cylindrical recess in the die block 19 an d is held therein by a transverse pin 24 which is seated in a recess in the die block and a semi-cylindrical recess in the die block holder 23.

A complementary die 25 is seated in a suitable recess in a die block 26 which desirably has a slightly countersunk face 27. The die block 26 is seated in a dovetail groove in the massive end t of the frame and a suit-able shim 28 may be located in the dovetail groove to prevent any lateral movement of the die block. An adjusting screw 29 seated in a boss located beneath the die blockand abut ting at its upper end against the die block provides means for ver ically adjusting the die block 26 into proper position.

The die block 26 and the massive end at of the frame are provided with alined cylindrical apertures 30 and the die is provided with a smaller concentric cylindrical aperture 3l. A plunger 32 its closely in the aperture 31 of the die 25 and is provided with anenlarged portion 33 which slidably fits the aperture in the die block and desirably is of such length that the plunger when forced forward. will not project beyond the rear face of the die block so that the die block can be removed from the machine. A plunger rod 34% is reciprocably mountedin the cylindrical aperture 30 in the die block which registers with the cylindrical aperture in which the plunger 33 is mounted. The plunger rod 34- is of such length as to engage at one end the plunger 33 and at its opposite end to engage the end portion of a lever 35 which is pivotally mounted upon a suitable shaft 36 supported in suitable bearings not shown) beyond the end of the frame, the other end of the lever 35 being engaged by a rod 37 having a screw threaded section which adjustably engages a cross head 38 which is mounted in a lateral extension 39 of the f anie. The cross heat 33 is connected by a link 40 to a bifurcated head 41 having mounted therein a follower roll 42 which engages a cam 43 mounted upon the main shaft 13.

In the operation of the dies to form the button a blank, preferably in the form of a cylindrical slug, is presented by suitable of the mecha:

blank-feeding mechanism, which will hereinafter be describerh in alinenient with the recess 31 in tie die 26. "he rotation of the main sh ft 13 causes the eccentric 12 to reciprocate the cross head 6 thereby carrying the die 22 forward until 1* engages the blank and forces it a short dis nce into the die 25 as illustrated in 5, the plunger 32 being forced baclr during Such movement. The plunger 33 then engages the plunger rod 34 which in turn is engaged by the lever 35. Further movement of tie cross head 6 closes the die 22 against the die 25. Upon such closing movement the eccentric L3 acting through the follower roll 42, the link 40, and lever 35, forces he plunger rod rearwardly thereby forcing the plunger through the aperture 31 in the die block 26 and causing the metal of blank to flow into all parts of the cavities of the two dies, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Upon further rotation of the eccentric 12 the cross head 7 is moved rearwardly and the die withdrawn from its engagem nt with the die 25, the button or other -cle being retained upon the face of the stationary die 25. W

In the formation of buttons, or like articles, the retention of the buttons upon the same die lilSulGd by the recess it which torns the hub of the button. Such retenowever, may prov ic A r he ofthe plunger with a slight pro ection 4L5 u rich will also serve as a centering oint to the positioned blank, as ill l in Fig. Upon separation there; use, of the dies the button or other articlc will be retained the cavity of the statii'inary die. The button or other article, Y be from such en agement by a n'iovement or the plunger upon sepan ion of the dies. Such relehseniav occur by virtue of the resilience of the parts which forces the plunger the material of the blank into the die, o. it may be produced by a special surface upon the cam 43 which will give the plunger a slight addition l inoven'ient after the completion of the ar' re and ioh lowing, coincident with the separation of the dies.

The present il orward to si inomechanism comthe button, .or reicle a. been released from 'wjenient with the the face and for disg the button, or other article from machine in such a manner that it will not erfere with the subsequent operation of 1e machine. hly the discharging .e comprises an arm which suspen xell a its upper end and is movable in proximity to, and in parallelis -i with, the end of the die in which the article retained upon separation of (lies and upon such engagement r rally to detach the article from he retaining means and project it in a preill) lid

determined general direction out of the path of the movingparts of the machine. While various ways may be providedfor producing the required movementof the discharging device such movement desirably is under the control of the feeding mechanism which presents the blank to the dies. Such feeding mechanism will, therefore, be first described.

In the particular machine illustmtedherein the articles are made from blanks or slugs of cylindrical form which are progressively severed from the end of a rod of suitable diai ieter. The end. at of themachine and the die block 26 are provided withalined cylindrical apertures 46 and d? which lie in parallelism with and at desirable distance from the aperture 30 in which the plunger 34 reciprocates. The apertures 46 and 7 are o a size to receive the rod 1-8 of steel cm which the blanks are formed. A bracket 49 bolted to the inner face of the end and havin an offset extension 50 lying in the path ot the rod 48 at a predetermined distance from the face of the die, PlOJiQlQS a stop for th end of the rod which causes a proper length 01 to form a button or other artic beyond the face of the block bined reciprocating cutter and carrier is m vided to sever the blank from the end ofthc rod and to present it inthe path of dies. in the preferred construction illustra'ec a cutter 51 is secured upon the shouldered end of a preferably rectangular cutter bar which is slidably mounted in a suit ing aperture 53 in the side 1 of t ne trarre- Jlhe cutter has at its end a substantially semi-cylindrical recess 54; which the portion or the bar d8 whichproiects beyond the die block 26. A spring holder, prefer ably in the form of a flat spr plate i. secured by screws or bolts to the upper edge of the cutter bar and preferably a he ical spring' 57 surroundino' a machine screw seated. in the upper face of the bar and compressed between the head of the screw and the spring plate tends to hold the spring- 55 downwardly upon seat, the forward end of the spring 55 being curved 'tOCOn'ffiiTfi f to the curved upper edge of the illustrated in 31 l Vhem theref knife is recipro *ated the spring 55 rithe rod until the rod is engaged in the semi-' cylindrical recess 54 of the cutten Upon further forward or cutting movement of cutter bar a blank or slug; 58 is severed from the rod and is held by the spring; 55 until the forward end of the cutter with the rod so held in it, comes into alinement with the recess 31 in the do 25, as illustrated The cutter bar remains at rest in this position until the die 22 moves forward far at this time the slug is held by the die 22 and the recess in the die 25 the cutter bar is withdrawnout of the path of the die and further movement of the die and subsequent movement of the plunger close the dies and to cause the material of the slug or blank to fiow into the cavities of the dies. v

Any-suitable mechanism may be employed for reciprocating the cutter and clamp. In

the preferred construction illustrated herein thecutter bar 52 extends through a two-piece ch 18 fastened to the side 1 of the thereafter efiected to.

cured to the guide 59 of the bracket in any 1 itable manner to complete a rectangular guideway for a cutter bar actuating slide 65. The cutterbar actuating slide is reciprocated through an adjustable pitman66 which ena stud 67 mounted in a boss 68 upon and located at a distance from the center of a disk 69 which is adjustably secured to a' complementary disk 70 which is fast upon the main shatt 13. By reason of this con- "ictio'n the length travel and timing of slide 65 may be suitthe cutter bar actuating ably adjusted,

The cutter bar actuating slide 65 is proy ed with a cam slot 71 which receives a foll r 7 2 upon'a stud shaft 73 which extends irol 1 i ustably securedtnerein by a suitan d washer A positioning screw having angularend, mounted in the end utter bar and extending mto the slot of the r bar and into engagement with the stud shaft 73 servesto insure the retention of the follower in proper position. The plate 64; is provided with an upwardly rectangular boss presenting ver- "i6 and is covered by a plate'77 longitudinal slot 7 8 to permit the l "ocation' of the stud shaft 73, of the folver. A red 79 fixedly secured to the cutter ar extends through slots in the vertical walls of the boss and is connected by helical 7 ca rod 81 which is mounted in the of the bracket 61. The springs uolr the follower in engagement with the cu r dvancing wall of the cam slot 71. Q2 which is adjustably seated in (39, has its head 83 positioned in i with the positioning screw 75 and serves to limit the rearward movement of the cutter bar.

- reason of the above construction the reciprocation of the cutter bar actuating slide a longitudinal slot in the cutter bar is properly synchronized with the move ment or the cross head 6 which actuates the movable die so that the cutter bar will be moved to sever a slug from the bar of stool: and position the slug in the path of the dies while the dies are separated. The cam slot 71 is of such contour to cause a rapid cutting and retracting movement of the cutter bar, thus enabling the slug or blank to be pos tioned during the approaching movement of the dies, and. after the dies have engaged the slug, to retract the cutter bar before the dies have suiliciently closed to engage it. The continued mover ent of the dies after the slug has been delivered to the dies and the cutter bar removed from their path completes the closure of the dies and the subsequent actuation of the plunger while the dies are closed causes the metal of the slug to flow into and till the cavities oi the dies in the manner above described. Upon the separation of the dies the completed article is retained in the die cavity of the lined die by reason of the extension of the hub of the button into the cavity and also by the engagement of the centering pin 45 with the material of the article hei totore described.

The principal feature of the present invention relates to the mechanism for discharging the finished articl from the means by which it is retained upon the stationary die. It has heretofore been mentioned that the n'iovement oi. the plunger 82 after the ration oi? the dies serves wholly or parto release the article from the cavity stationary die 25.

By the present invention means are pro- .l positively to engage the button, or other article, when thus released and discharge it troin the retaining means. Desirably the discharg device is moved in substantial parallelism with the face of the die until it en ga ges the article and upon continued movement is also caused to move laterally away from the die in such a manner as to strip the article from the means by which it is retained and project it out of the machine. Any suitable mechanism may be employed to actuate the artiole-discharging device in the trimmer aforesaid within the spirit of this invention. The preferred form of discharging device and means for actuating the same which illiiistrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a vertical arm or lever 34- having secured to one side of its lower end an article-engaging finger 85 and to the opposite side of its lower end a guard 86 adapted to direct the article, when detached from the retaining means by the finger 85, into a suitablereceptacle, and also to prevent the article from being projected into the path of the n'ioving parts of the machine.

The article-disch argin g arm 84 is suspended upon a pivotal. stud 87 upon a lever 88 the end of which is fulcrumed upon a stud 89 in miners a bracket 90 which projects upwardly from the end l of the frame. The lever 88 is guided vertically between a pair of arms 91 of a bracket 92 which is secured to the die block A helical spring 93, connected at one end to the lever 83 and at its other end to a pin extending from the bracket 92, tends to depress the lever 88 and thereby cause the lever or arm 84 to move downwardly so that the finger 85 will engage the button or other article.

face 94 which is engaged by a roller 95 mounted in a boss entendlng from he bracket 92 so with the flat surface 94 ot' the arm 84 the arm will be guided vertically in parallelism with and in close proximity to, the face of the die 25 and thereby brought into engagement with the article in the die, or which has been re leased r slightly displaced from the die. Engagement of the face 94 and of the cam 96 with the roller J5 may be caused by gravity, but d sirably the action of gravity is sup plen'ic .Wd by a spring suitably connected to the arm 8stand lever 88.

The arm 84- is also provided with a wedgeshape-zl cam 93 which upon further clownward movement of the arm engages the roller and sv'i gs the arm 8% about its pivot 87 away from tl e face of the die. Thus the article .is stripped from the retaining means by the combined longitudinal and lateral move.

ment oi the arm 84.

Suitable means are provided for controlling the movement of the article-discharging arm in proper synchronism with the reciprocation of the die so that the discharging movement oi the arm will take place while the dies separated. in the 1 'e; nt construction the mechanism tor raisin the discharging device out of the path of are (lies is coi'itrolled by the n'iovement oi? the blank-feeding mechanism and means are also provided for prevontint the descent of the article-discharging arin until the dies are properly separated. The mechan. i for raising the discharging mechanism out of operative position, which is illustrated herein, comprises a bar 97 which desi- J y is pivotally mounted upon a stud 98 in the upper end of arm 99 which extends upwardly fromthe rear end of the cutter bar. The bar 97 is slidably supported upon a roller 100 mounted between the arms of abraclret 101 which is mounted upon the side 1 of the main future. The bar 97 is provided with a downwardly extending end presenting an inclined cam face 102 which is adapted upon forward movement of the bar 97 to engage a roller 103 which is mounted in bosses 104 which e.. .nd downwardly from the under side of the lever 88. By reason of this construction forward movement of the cutter bar to cutting position, which of course takes place during the separation 01 the dies, causes the cam 102 to engage the The lever 84 provided with a flat.

while the roller 95 in engagement.

therefore, the forward movement of the cutter bar to sever a blank and place it in the path of the dies causes the cam face 102 of the bar 97-to raise the end of the lever 88 and thereby raise the discharging arm 84; out of the path of the dies. Upon'approach of the dies the roller 106 passes beneath the fiat face 105 of the lever 88 and holds the lever 88 and the discharging device, which is suspended therefrom, in elevated position while the cutter bar is retracted and also untiltlie dies have separated a predetermined distance, whereupon the roller 106 passes from beneath the surface 105 of the lever 88 and'permits the lever 88 and arm 8 l to drop by gravity and under the urge of the spring 93. The fingers of the lever are forced toward the die during this descent by a helical spring 108 which is connected to an extension'of the arm or lever 8% beyond its pivot 87 and to a stud in the end of the lever 88 so that the flat portion 94: of the arm 84 is held in engagement with the roller 95 during the preliminary descent of the article-discharging arm 84-and until it has engaged the button or other article which is retained on the die 25. Further downward movement of the arm causes the cam 96 to engage the roller 95 thereby swinging the arm 84 laterally away from the die face and causing the engaged article to be stripped from the retaining means and projected out of the machine.

The operation of the discharging mechanism is very important in a machine of this type in which the buttons, or other articles, are swaged with great rapidity and in which it is necessary quickly to discharge the arti cles away from the machine to avoid interference with the proper operation thereof.

It will be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is of an illustrative character and is not restrictive and that various changes in form, construction and arrangement of parts may be made within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is: y

1. In a machine for forming butto s and like articles comprising a plurality of relatively movable dies, actuating means for closing and separating said dies, means for retaining the formed article upon one of said dies, means for releasing the article from taining means and project the same out of the path of the movable die.

2. In a machine for forming buttons and like articles comprising a plurality of relatively movable dies, actuating means for closing and separating said dies, means for retaining the formed article upon one of said dies, means for releasing the article from said die during the initial separation of the dies, an article-discharging device, means for moving the same longitudinally to engage the article, means for moving the same laterally to discharge the article from said retaining means and a guard carried by said articledischarging device to direct the discharged article from the machine. V

3. In a machine for forming buttons and like articles comprising a plurality of relatively movable dies, means for actuating the same, means for retaining the formed article within the cavity of one of the dies upon separation thereof, means for releasing the article from said die, a pivotally supported discharging device, means for moving the same in substantial parallelism with, and in proximity to, the face of the die retaining the formed article to engage the article and means for swinging the discharging device laterally to project the article out of the path of the movable die. v r

4. In a machine for forming buttons and like articles comprising a plurality of rela tively movable dies, means for actuating the same, means for retaining the formed article on one of the dies upon separation thereof,

means for releasing the article from said die, a pivotally supported discharging device, means for moving the same in substantial parallelism with, and in proximity to, the face of the die retaining the formed article to engage the article, meansfor swinging the discharging device laterally to deliver the article and'a guard upon said discharging device acting to direct the discharged article from the machine.

5.. In a machine for forming buttons and like articles comprising a plurality of relatively movable dies, means for actuating the same, means for retaining the formed article upon one of the dies upon separation of said dies, a pivotally suspended discharging devicc tcndingto move downwardly in parallelism with, and in proximity to, the face of the die retaining the formed article, means operable upon separation of the dies to cause said discharging device to descend and engage the formed article and means operable upon further descent of the discharging device to move the same laterally and thereby discharge the article from the machine and-means for raislng the article-discharging device in advance of the closing of the dies.

6. In a machine for forming buttons and like articles comprising av plurality of relatively movable dies, means for closing and separating said dies, blank-feeding means and mea for actuating the same to present a blank to said dies, means for retaining the formed article on one of said dies, means for releasing said article from said die upon separation 01'? said dies, articledischarging means and means for actuating the same controlled by or through the movement of said blank-feeding means.

7 In a machine for torming buttons and like articles comprising a plurality of relatively movable dies, means for closing and separating said dies, blank-feeding means and means for actuating the same to present a blank to said. die, means for retaining the formed article on one of said dies, means for releasing said article from said die upon separation of said dies, a pivotally suspended discharging arm, means tending to move the same in parallelism with and in proximity to the face of the article-retaining die to engage the article, means operable upon continued movement of said arm to swing said arm laterally to discharge the article and means operable by the blank-feeding means for raising the discharging arm out of the path of the dies in advance of the closing of said dies.

8. In a machine for forming buttons and like articles comprising a plurality of relatively movable dies, means for closing and separating said dies, blank-feeding means and means for actuating the same to present a blank to said die, means for retaining the formed article on one of said dies, means for releasing said article from said die upon separation of said dies, a pivotally suspended discharging arm, means tending to move the same in parallelism with and in proximity to the face of the article-retaining die to engage the article, a cam, and a co-operating cam follower carried respectively by said arm and die operable to move said article-discharging arm laterally upon further longitudinal movement of said arm aft-er engagement with the formed article and means including a cam rcciprocable in synchronism with said blankiteeding means to withdraw said article-discharging arm from the path of said dies in advance of the closing thereof.

9. In a machine for forming buttons and like articles comorising a stationary die and a relatively movable die and means for actuating the same, means for retaining the formed article upon said stationary die, a vertically swinging lover, a discharge arm pivotally sus pended upon said lever to move in proximity to, and in parallelisn'i with, the face of the article-retaining die, a cam on said arm, and a co-operating follower positioned to cause the lateral swinging movement of"? said discharging arm upon further longitudinal movement after engagement with the formed article, reciprocable means for feeding a blank to said dies and means reciprocable by said blankleeding means including a cam positioned to raise said lever during the feeding movement of the blank and remove said arm from the path of said dies and means for retaining said lever in elevated position during the closingand initial separation of the dies.

10. In a machine for forming buttons and like articles comprising a plurality of relatively movable dies having cavities present ing iaces corresponding substantially to the contour of the article to be formed, means for closing and separating said dies, a blank-r ceiving recess in one of said dies, a plunger reciprocable in said blank-receiving recess having a centering project-ion, blank-feeding means, means for positioning a blank in alinement with said recess, means for actuating the plunger after the closing of the dies to cause the material of the blank to flow into and fill the die cavities, means for advancing the plunger after separation of the dies to release the formed article from the die cavity, whereby the formed article may beretained upon the centering projection of said plunger, an article-discharging device, means for causing the same to engage and discharge the termed article upon further separation or the dies and means operable by the his; ii-feeding mechanism to remove the article-dischaiging means from the path or the dies prior to the closing thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WALTER T. ABEL. 

